Portable locking device



Sept. 29, 1936. J. MENCHEN I Q 2,055,906 PORTABLE LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 f'ifil. 6 v p 22 3/ Z i 35 i I 37 a2 I 36 I w .24 V 2 .i 20 I 1H 35 INVENTOR. JOSEPH MENCHEN ORN E YS.

Sept. 29, 1936- 4 J MENCHEN 2,055,906

PORTABLE LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 30 0 2e 7 em '4 2/ I M 22 i 5 W I j, i 5 20 f Z4 J I 1 25 5 A s a 3 25 25 33 37 Z4 INVENTOR. JOSEPH ME/vcHE/v Y Sept. 29, 1936. J. MENCHEN 2,055,906

PORTABLE LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 n I INVENTOR. 54 54 JOSEPH MENCHEN mfiiiw, panda/ ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to portable locking devices, and same has particular reference to a form of device designed primarily for use in the work of securely looking a movable object to prevent, ordinarily speaking, the release of such object from an intended position of adjustment, except by a duly authorized person.

The device finds expression in the employment of means applicable to well' known articles and objects of furniture, doors of rooms, vaults, safety deposit boxes, and the like, or in any instance where it is intended or desired to hold a movable object in a fixed position of. adjustment and against being released by unauthorized persons, and certain objects of the. invention are to provide a simple and positively acting device of this nature which is of light weight and, therefore, capable of being conveniently handled and readily carried on the person of the user, one which is exceedingly strong and durable and one which maybe quickly applied to or removed from the article with which it is to be used.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangements of parts which willhereinafter be fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings have been illustrated several forms of the invention, it being understood that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope ofthe claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the said drawings,

Figure 1 is aview in front elevation showing same applied;

Figure 2 is a section: on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view somewhat like Figure 2, but withv the tumblers retracted;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2';

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the locking bolt;

Figure '7 is a view in elevation of aslightly modified form of the invention;

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the adapter employed in connection with the device shown in Figure '7;

Figure 9 is a plan View of a still further form of the invention;

Figure 10 is a section 011 line l0l0 of' Figure 9, showing the" device applied;

Figure 11 is a section on line I |--Il of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a detail section on line l2l2 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a section on line l3-l3 of Figure 11';

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the cover;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the adapter employed in connection with the form shown in Figure 9;

Figure 16 is a similar view of' the locking bolt and its mating neck engaging jaws.

In Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, I have illustrated a form of lock. mechanism 20 in which certain of the parts employed-are designed for use in. connection with a conventional swinging door D' and correlated casing C, the latter having a bolt or latch recess R formed therein.

The lock mechanism 20 comprises a hollow, substantially cylindrical casing 2|, formed with a' relatively short cylindrical bearing or integral extension 22' whose external face is concentrically spaced apart from the internal walls of'said casing and whose axially positioned barrel passage 23- has formed therein longitudinally extending. tumbler receiving grooves 24. The said grooves are of even number, there being six thereofv herein illustrated, and they. arearranged so that two each thereof are diametrically relatedto each other. I, of course, shall have it clearly understood that I do not propose to be limited to any precise number of such grooves, as this shall be clearly optional.

The hearing or extension 22 is somewhat shorter than the body portion of the casing H, andmounted to turn about the bearing is a worm screw 25', the same having a head ZBf-ormed axially of'the casing with a passage 2T. A rotary barrel 28 is mounted in the bearing 22-, and same is of'a length sufli'cient to seat at its inner end in the passage 21 in said head- 26'. Said inner end is formed with a threaded stem 29 over which is placed a lock washer 3B, the latter adapted" to be securely engaged against the adjacent face of the head" 26' by means of a nut 38" on saidstem. The casing 2| is so proportioned that all of the essential parts of the lock mechanism are situated wholly within said casing as will be appreciated on reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The outer end of the barrel is provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 31 whose major part, loosely fits in the axial passageway of the bearing.v 22, and same is=formed with: a key slot 32' for the accommodation of 'a co-acting key K of. the type employing a fiat shank 33'. The barrel 28 is of the well known type which is chiefly characterized by a plurality of flat, yieldingly mounted, sliding tumblers T, arranged one against the other and adapted to be respectively retracted and projected from diametrically opposite slots S-S in the sides of said barrel, the said slots adapted to coincide with any pair of the diametrically disposed slots 24 in said bearing 22, whereby to enable the eifective locking ends E of one set of said tumblers to be projected into one of the grooves and the corresponding ends E of the other set to be projected in like manner into the other one of said diametrically opposite grooves 24, as shown in Fi ure 2. When the tumblers are disposed as just described, it is to be assumed that the key K is retracted from the seat 32 and in consequence thereof the barrel 28; hence the worm screw 25 will be securely held against turning movement. Coincident with the key opening 32 and formed in the tumblers T are rectangular slots 33 for the sliding accommodation of the key K, and it is to be understood that an end wall of each tumbler of one set employed is adapted to be engaged by a co-acting ward W of the key, whereby to cause the effective locking ends of said tumblers to be operatively retracted from their co-acting groove 24, when the key is fully inserted, thus enabling the barrel 22 and the aforementioned worm screw 25 to rotate together as a unit.

The casing 2! is provided at its inner end with a fiber disk 34, the same adapted to engage flatwise against the front face of the door D at a point adjacent to the knob side thereof. It will be noted that the casing has formed thereon as a part thereof a lateral bolt guide and joint spanner 35, the same having a rectangular slot 36 in which is removably and slidably mounted a bolt 31. The inner face of this bolt, for a portion of its length, is formed with a longitudinal series of worm teeth 38, the same adapted to mesh with the worm screw 25. At one end, the bolt is formed with a lug 39, the same having a spur or tooth 40 adapted, when the bolt is turned from a vertical position to a horizontal position, to bite into one wall of the recess R as clearly shown in Figure 2. It is to be borne in mind that when applying the lock to a door or other like object to be locked, the bolt 3'! is first removed from the casing 2| and placed in a vertical position with its lug 31 coincident with the recess R. The lug is then inserted in said recess and the bolt swung downwardly to a horizontal position with the smooth foot or heel 4! of the spur 40 engaging one wall of the said recess and the point of the spur engaging the opposite wall of said recess. In so doing, the bolt will lie between the edge of the door D when closed and the adjacent face of the casing C. The free end of the bolt will project forwardly of the door as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The said free end of the bolt may now be passed into the slot 38 and the barrel turned by its key K until the disk 34 has been firmly advanced against the adjacent face of the door. During this adjustment of the casing on said bolt, the respective sets of tumblers of the lock will be fully retracted, but as soon as the key K is fully withdrawn from the lock, the effective looking ends of said spring projected tumblers will be operatively extended into their respective grooves 24, making it impossible to again retract them except by an authorized person.

In order that the Worm screw 25 may be made to turn with the barrel 28, the inner end thereof is formed with parallel flat faces 28a against which the like faces 25a of the passage 21 in said worm screw are adapted to engage.

In Figures 7 and 8, assume that 42 is the body structure of an article of furniture, such as a file cabinet or the like, and that same includes a sliding drawer 43. The drawer has an inwardly extending horizontal flange 44 at its upper front edge and the lower wall of the body structure 42 has a similar horizontal flange 45, the latter disposed in parallel relation to and above said flange 44. The lock mechanism 20a is like the mechanism 28 first above referred to. It is seated in an adapter or spanner element 46 of such proportions as to enable same to span the joint between the upper front edge of the drawer and the flange 45. This adapter is provided with a non-metallic disk 45a, preferably of fiber, and same is firmly seated against the front face of the said drawer. The portion 41 of the adapter carries non-metallic lugs or buttons 48 whose inner flat faces lie in the vertical plane of the inner face of the disk 45a, and same are designed to firmly rest against the front face of the body structure, as shown in Figure 7, An adapter of this nature is such that it may be made in sizes to satisfy its use in connection with various well known articles of furniture and when applied as aforementioned same provides a strong and durable form of mounting for the lock, and same may be readily associated with the part to be locked and in a way that will afford an effective bridge across the joint between the movable part of the furniture and the fixed part or casing structure. The sliding key actuated bolt 49 of the lock mechanism 28a is substantially like the bolt 31, but in this instance same is formed at its inner end with a hook 53 adapted to removably engage with the flange 45, as shown in Figure '7. When the hook is fully engaged with said flange and the adapter snugly presented against the adjacent front faces of the part 42 and the drawer 43, it follows that with the key of the lock removed, the drawer will be securely locked in a closed position of adjustment.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 9 to 16, inclusive, I have provided an exceedingly novel and decidedly useful organization of elements for positively preventing the removal of liquids from bottles. To allow for such use of the invention, I do not make any material changes in the essential structural features of the device.

The letter N in the figures last referred to represents the neck of a bottle, the same having an annular bead B. Removably connected with the neck is an adapter 5|, the same having a pair of arcuate cams 52-52, grooved on their inner faces as at 53. These cams, when the adapter is operatively adjusted to the bottle neck occupy position in concentric relation to the neck as shown in Figure 11, and same are in corresponding relationship to the horizontally movable, arcuate locking dogs 5454 of a sliding bolt 55. Said adapter is formed with a vertical lug 56, the inner face of which is transversely grooved and faced with an elastic material 51, adapted to partly embrace the neck of the bottle as shown in Figure 12.

The lug 56 is formed with a vertical passage 58, adjacent to which and also formed in said lug is a slot 59. Mounted to slide in the passage 58 is a stem 60, having a plurality of spaced apart annular grooves 6|. This stem carries a cover 62 adapted to extend over the cork C of the bottle, as illustrated. Mounted in the slot 59 and secured at one of its ends to the adapter 5! is a leaf spring 63, the same having a lug 64 adapted to engage in any one of the aforementioned annular grooves 6| whereby to hold the cover 62 in a desired position of lowered adjustment against the said cork of the bottle. I

The adapter5| has an annular portion or ring 65 in which is seated the inner end of the casing 65 of the lock mechanism 201). The fiber disk or the like 5'! of the lock casing is adapted to bear fiatwise against the aforementioned leaf spring 63 when the device is fully applied, and it will be noted that because of this construction and arrangement of parts, the spring will be held in a relatively fixed or inflexible condition so as to prevent its lug 64 from being manually retracted from its co-acting groove 6! in said stem 69. When, however, the disk 61 has been drawn away from said spring, the end 63a of the latter may be manually moved into the slot 63b in the adapter in order that the cover '62 may be readily moved in a vertical direction.

The lock mechanism 20b is virtually the same as the one first above described, at least so far as concerns the main structural features thereof. I shall not, therefore, describe same in detail but will merely state that the sliding bolt 55 thereof is operatively accommodated in a slot 68 in the base of the aforestated adapter 5|.

It follows, with respect to the form of my invention last described, that when the adapter is fully applied, as shown in Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings, the jaws 5454 of the bolt 55 will be snugly held in embracing relation to the neck of the bottle at a point just beneath the bead B. The disk 61 will be so closely engaged with the spring 53 as to positively hold the cover in a fixed position, thus preventing access being had to the contents of said bottle. When, however, the lock mechanism is actuated in a manner to cause the disk 61 to become disengaged from the spring 63, and the jaws 54 released from the neck, the entire device can be readily removed from the bottle.

The inner faces of the said jaws 5454 are preferably lined with rubber, cork or other suitable pliable or yieldable material 54a that will prevent breakage of the neck when adjusting the device to the bottle.

I have illustrated and described the last mentioned form of the invention in order to make clear one of the many uses to which the invention may be usefully put.

A device constructed substantially according to either embodiment of the invention is readily portable and same may be satisfactorily employed either as an exclusive locking means for the particular article with which it is used, or it may be employed in coaction with any conventional look as an additional means of security against access being had to articles whose protection it is desired shall be safeguarded.

The bearing extension 22 of the lock mechanism is so designed that it not only functions in the ways heretofore referred to, namely, both as a bearing for the worm screw 25 and as a receptacle and mounting for the barrel 28, but same serves further as a means to prevent withdrawal of the barrel and said worm screw from said casing when the device is in a position of applied adjustment upon the object to be locked.

What is claimed is:

1. A locking device comprising a casing having a bolt; rotary key-actuated means for moving the casing and bolt relatively to each other and for locking the bolt to the casing; and means carried by the bolt for removable attachment thereof to a fixed part of an object while maintaining a position of the casing against and in immovable relationship to a movable part of said object.

2. A locking device comprising a casing having a lateral portion formed with a slot; a bolt mounted in the slot and having an object engaging portion exposed therefrom; the casing having a portion disposed at right angles to the bolt and adapted to engage against a movable object; and key-controlled means within the casing for moving the latter linearly of the bolt and for locking the casing to the bolt.

3. A locking device comprising a casing having a movable bolt, rotary means in the casing, coacting with the bolt to move same and the casing relatively; key-controlled means co-operable with the rotary means for effecting the aforementioned relative movement of the bolt and said casing and for locking the casing to the bolt, and means by which the casing can be locked to the bolt in any one of a plurality of different circumferentially adjusted positions of the rotary means.

4. A locking device comprising a casing having an internal cylindrical portion; a worm screw mounted in the casing to turn on said portion, a movable bolt having a worm rack with which the screw is engageable, and rotary key actuated means co-operable with said portion and with said worm screw to move the casing and bolt relatively.

5. A locking device comprising a casing having an internal cylindrical portion; a worm screw mounted in the casing to turn on said portion; a movable bolt having a worm rack with which the screw is engageable, and rotary key actuated means co-operable with said portion and with said worm screw to move the casing and bolt relatively, the worm screw having a head cooperable with said cylindrical portion to hold the worm screw against removal from the casing.

6. A locking device comprising a casing having an internal cylindrical portion; a worm screw mounted in the casing to turn on said portion; a movable bolt having a worm rack with which the screw is engageable, and rotary key actuated means co-operable with said portion and with said worm screw to move the casing and bolt relatively, the cylindrical portion having tumbler receiving grooves therein and said rotary keyactuated means having tumblers engageable in said grooves to lock the rack to the casing.

'7. A locking device comprising a casing, closed at one end and open at its other, a bolt removably insertable into the casing; rotary means in the casing, co-operable with the bolt to move the latter and the casing relatively to each other linearly and with the closed end of the casing disposed angularly relatively to the bolt; and key actuated means on which the rotary means is carried and with which the casing coacts to lock the casing on the bolt, the key actuated means including a barrel into which a key is insertable and tumblers adapted to be acted upon by the key and to engage with the casing to effect the aforementioned locking of the casing to the bolt.

8. A locking device comprising a casing provided with a removable bolt, the latter formed with a longitudinal series of rack teeth; a tumbler carrying barrel contained in the casing, the tumblers of which are adapted to coact therewith to hold the barrel against turning, and a worm screw carried by the barrel and coacting with the teeth of the bolt to move the latter and the casing relatively linearly.

9. In a device of the class described, a casing having a hollow internal bearing, a bolt actuating worm screw mounted to turn on the bearing, a tumbler carrying barrel mounted to turn in the bearing and having tumblers engageable with the bearing, and means for connecting the worm screw with the barrel to enable the former to turn with the latter and to hold the screw from turning when the tumblers are engaged with said bearing.

10. A locking device comprising a casing; a worm screw journaled in the casing; a bolt having teeth with which the threads of the worm screw are adapted to mesh to feed the casing and bolt relatively upon rotation of said screw; a key receiving barrel in the casing for rotating the worm screw and having tumblers; and means in the casing with which the tumblers coact to lock the barrel to or release it from the casing according as a key is withdrawn from or inserted into the barrel, whereby to lock the worm screw to the casing against rotation or free the worm screw from the casing for rotation.

11. A locking device comprising a casing; a worm screw journaled in the casing; a bolt having teeth with which the threads of the worm screw are adapted to mesh to feed the casing and bolt relatively upon rotation of said screw; 2. key receiving barrel in the casing for rotating the worm screw and having tumblers; the casing having a circumferential series of grooves with which the tumblers coact to lock the barrel to or release it from the casing according as a key is withdrawn from or inserted into the barrel, whereby to lock the worm screw to the casing against rotation or free the worm screw from the 'casing for rotation.

JOSEPH MENCHEN. 

